The Common name of an Axolotl is called the Mexican Walking Fish while the binomial name for an Axolotl is Amby stoma Mexicanum. The Axolotl is about 12- 30cm long and weigh up to 60 to 200g.
Habitat- Axolotls live in a fairly cold environment with a temperature of 14 °C and 17°C if more preferable even thought the temperature of the water in Lake Xochimilco is about 20°C at max, but in winter it may fall down to 6°C or 7°C and there is a chance for it to be even lower. As a cold-blooded organism, the Axolotl has a slower metabolism because of the low temperature they live in, while a higher temperature can lead them to feeling stressed and having a better appetite. Axolotls are found in Lake Xochimilco in central Mexico and Lake Chalco. Sadly they could not be found in Lake Chalco as it is drained by humans to prevent periodic flooding. Whereas Lake Xochimilco still remains there but mainly exist as canals.
Axolotls live permanently in the water; it is extremely rare for them to emerge from the water as they stay on the bottom of Xochimilco’s lakes and camels. Axolotls are also popular pets that can be kept in an Aquarium that is about 40 litres big with a water depth of 15cm since Axolotls spend most of their time in the bottom of the tank. Chlorine is harmful to axolotls and the water should be filtered and changed regularly.
Axolotl’s have long lives, they are meat eaters that are able to survive for about 10 to 15 years. They eat a different variety of food such as salmon, earthworms, crickets, trout, and wax worms. Axolotls are one of the top predators of its habitat. Natural threats include predatory birds such as heron and large fishes.
Mexico Lake Xochimilco- source:http://www.axolotl.org/images/large_lake.jpg
Structure Adaptation 1-
An important adaptation of the axolotl is the three pair’s external gills stalked behind their head and they are used to move oxygenated water. The reason why the adult axolotl has gills is because they failed to undergo metamorphosis. Their external gills are lined with filaments so that there is more space to exchange air. This allows them to take less breathe as they can take in more air therefore allowing them to swim faster. Swimming faster means that they can catch their prey more easily and they can escape from their predators. These small animals breathe through their delicate skin and the three feathery gills that are beside head.
The increasing number of predators and insufficient food maybe the reason that has lead to the development of this adaptation.
Structure Adaptation 2-
One structure adaptation of the axolotl is that they look different to each other because there are many different colours of axolotls. The mutation in the pigment gene of the axolotl cause them to have all different colours and patterns such as grey, golden albino, white albino, brown, and black. Axolotl’s that are gold, white, and albino will have dark brown tips on their toes when they have come to a stage of sexual maturity. The soles on their feet can even be seen dirty. The normal colored axolotl, the “wild type” which is the black colored axolotl toe tips becomes paler than their skin colour when they go through the stage of maturity.
Behavioral Adaptation 1-
The axolotl is emotionless most of the time but they are usually active in the early morning to early evening. If you have a pet axolotls that is kept in a group or two, they have to be fed regularly since a starving axolotl will eat the limbs of another axolotl. Axolotls must never be kept together with other animals such as small fishes which would be eaten by the axolotl.
Behavioral Adaptation 2-
The natural breed for an axolotl is in spring since the water temperature increases and the lengthening of days. Fertilisation occurs between a few hours to a few days. The female axolotl is capable of releasing 400-1000 eggs during spawning. The female axolotl is also capable of breeding several times and the egg of an axolotl has visible feathery gills. After the female axolotl attaches her eggs onto a plant the hatching of the egg will occur after 2 to 3 weeks and after the baby axolotl hatches the larger and more developed axolotls eat the smaller ones.
The adaptation of the axolotl could have developed due to the fact that there was not enough food for 400 to 1000 eggs, therefore only a small amount of baby axolotl’s can survive. The larger and more develop axolotls meals are the smaller and more undeveloped axolotls.
Physiological adaptation-
Most people and animals are able to heal a cut and replace dead skin or damaged skin. The axolotl is a unique species which is able to regenerate a complete limb or organ. Unlike normal animals who form scar tissue when healing from a wound, the axolotl is able to regenerate a whole body part which includes gills, kidneys, whole limbs and even a large part of its heart muscle and a portion of its liver. If the axolotl loses a tail it can regenerate a new tail as well as the skins and muscles. They can even regenerate a portion of its spine and brain where it is impossible for any type of species to do so. Young axolotls are able to regenerate parts of their body quicker than adult axolotls.
An environmental pressure leading to the development of this adaptation may be due to the fact that axolotl are small fragile animals and being able to regenerate some parts of their limbs increases their survival rate.
Axolotl- Future animal Axolotl- Ancient animal
The Common name of an Axolotl is called the Mexican Walking Fish while the binomial name for an Axolotl is Amby stoma Mexicanum. The Axolotl is about 12- 30cm long and weigh up to 60 to 200g.
Scientific Classification-
Habitat-
Axolotls live in a fairly cold environment with a temperature of 14 °C and 17°C if more preferable even thought the temperature of the water in Lake Xochimilco is about 20°C at max, but in winter it may fall down to 6°C or 7°C and there is a chance for it to be even lower. As a cold-blooded organism, the Axolotl has a slower metabolism because of the low temperature they live in, while a higher temperature can lead them to feeling stressed and having a better appetite. Axolotls are found in Lake Xochimilco in central Mexico and Lake Chalco. Sadly they could not be found in Lake Chalco as it is drained by humans to prevent periodic flooding. Whereas Lake Xochimilco still remains there but mainly exist as canals.
Axolotls live permanently in the water; it is extremely rare for them to emerge from the water as they stay on the bottom of Xochimilco’s lakes and camels. Axolotls are also popular pets that can be kept in an Aquarium that is about 40 litres big with a water depth of 15cm since Axolotls spend most of their time in the bottom of the tank. Chlorine is harmful to axolotls and the water should be filtered and changed regularly.
Axolotl’s have long lives, they are meat eaters that are able to survive for about 10 to 15 years. They eat a different variety of food such as salmon, earthworms, crickets, trout, and wax worms. Axolotls are one of the top predators of its habitat. Natural threats include predatory birds such as heron and large fishes.
Structure Adaptation 1-
An important adaptation of the axolotl is the three pair’s external gills stalked behind their head and they are used to move oxygenated water. The reason why the adult axolotl has gills is because they failed to undergo metamorphosis. Their external gills are lined with filaments so that there is more space to exchange air. This allows them to take less breathe as they can take in more air therefore allowing them to swim faster. Swimming faster means that they can catch their prey more easily and they can escape from their predators. These small animals breathe through their delicate skin and the three feathery gills that are beside head.
The increasing number of predators and insufficient food maybe the reason that has lead to the development of this adaptation.
Structure Adaptation 2-
One structure adaptation of the axolotl is that they look different to each other because there are many different colours of axolotls. The mutation in the pigment gene of the axolotl cause them to have all different colours and patterns such as grey, golden albino, white albino, brown, and black. Axolotl’s that are gold, white, and albino will have dark brown tips on their toes when they have come to a stage of sexual maturity. The soles on their feet can even be seen dirty. The normal colored axolotl, the “wild type” which is the black colored axolotl toe tips becomes paler than their skin colour when they go through the stage of maturity.
Behavioral Adaptation 1-
The axolotl is emotionless most of the time but they are usually active in the early morning to early evening. If you have a pet axolotls that is kept in a group or two, they have to be fed regularly since a starving axolotl will eat the limbs of another axolotl. Axolotls must never be kept together with other animals such as small fishes which would be eaten by the axolotl.
Behavioral Adaptation 2-
The natural breed for an axolotl is in spring since the water temperature increases and the lengthening of days. Fertilisation occurs between a few hours to a few days. The female axolotl is capable of releasing 400-1000 eggs during spawning. The female axolotl is also capable of breeding several times and the egg of an axolotl has visible feathery gills. After the female axolotl attaches her eggs onto a plant the hatching of the egg will occur after 2 to 3 weeks and after the baby axolotl hatches the larger and more developed axolotls eat the smaller ones.
The adaptation of the axolotl could have developed due to the fact that there was not enough food for 400 to 1000 eggs, therefore only a small amount of baby axolotl’s can survive. The larger and more develop axolotls meals are the smaller and more undeveloped axolotls.
Physiological adaptation-
Most people and animals are able to heal a cut and replace dead skin or damaged skin. The axolotl is a unique species which is able to regenerate a complete limb or organ. Unlike normal animals who form scar tissue when healing from a wound, the axolotl is able to regenerate a whole body part which includes gills, kidneys, whole limbs and even a large part of its heart muscle and a portion of its liver. If the axolotl loses a tail it can regenerate a new tail as well as the skins and muscles. They can even regenerate a portion of its spine and brain where it is impossible for any type of species to do so. Young axolotls are able to regenerate parts of their body quicker than adult axolotls.
An environmental pressure leading to the development of this adaptation may be due to the fact that axolotl are small fragile animals and being able to regenerate some parts of their limbs increases their survival rate.
Bibliography-
Ambystoma mexicanum. (n.d.). BioWeb Home. Retrieved July 21, 2010, from http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2008/osuldsen_brit/reproduction.html
Axolotl. (2010, June 20). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axolotl